The invention described herein is generally related to electrical lighting apparatus, and more specifically is related to decorative electrical lighting devices which simulate candles or other natural flames.
It has previously been known to provide decorative electrical lighting devices which automatically switch on and off in a manner intended to simulate a flickering flame. Various electrical circuits and electromechanical means have been used to achieve this effect in a simplified form. However, the characteristic appearance of a natural flame arises from certain illumination intensity variations and gas turbulence effects which are not easily reproduced in simple lighting devices of the type previously known. To some extent these effects have been sought to be reproduced in multi-filament light bulbs which flicker on and off in various ways. However, there has not been previously available a lighting apparatus containing multiple lighting elements which flicker in a manner that realistically simulates both the gas turbulence and the illumination intensity distribution that are characteristic of a burning flame.
Accordingly, it is the object and purpose of the present invention to provide an improved electrical lighting apparatus for simulating a natural flame.
It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide a lighting apparatus which simulates both the turbulent gas flow and the illumination intensity distribution of a natural flame, particularly a candle flame.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a lighting apparatus which includes, in a single bulb unit, multiple lighting elements which are arranged and independently actuated to switch on and off in a random manner which simulates both the gas turbulence and illumination intensity distribution of a natural flame.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide digitally controlled electronic circuitry to drive the multiple lighting elements of the above-mentioned lighting apparatus.